Europa League draw: Brighton handed a 'brilliant group of death' as Liverpool and West Ham also confirmed

Roberto De Zerbi, Manager of Brighton & Hove Albion, will guide his team in Europe this season

Europa League debutants Brighton were drawn to take on former Champions League winners Ajax and Marseille in Friday’s group stage draw.

Roberto De Zerbi’s men secured a first season in continental football with a sixth-place finish in last season’s Premier League table, and their reward is matches against four-time European champions Ajax and the 1993 European Cup winners Marseille.

The Seagulls’ other group opponents are reigning Greek champions AEK Athens, with the first round of group stage games to be played on Thursday, September 21.

It’s a brilliant group for Brighton fans, as they prepare for their first ever foray into Europe but it can also be classed as the classic “group of death”. A second place or better in Group B would be some achievement from De Zerbi’s men

West Ham will face Olympicacos, Freiburg and TSC in Europa League Group A, while Liverpool will face LASK, Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse in Group E.

The winners of the eight groups progress straight to the last 16, while the eight runners-up will take on the eight third-placed sides from the Champions League group stage in the knockout round play-offs.

This season’s final takes place in Dublin on May 22.